The Black Swan

Today was clearly not my day. A twenty hour shift? Not a problem. After spending the previous night with Jenna? Piece of cake. Working the first five hours hungover? Pff... Easy. Having to work with Nikki and Andrew? Someone please just kill me.

Like it wasn’t bad enough when I had to face them separately, but having the shift, which was ten hours over-due with them together? It kind of made me want to whack my head against the wall. Non stop. I really had no idea what was going on between the two and I had the feeling I was better off not knowing. Having to watch them just for five minutes made me feel like I was watching the whole Twilight saga. No, stay back, I’m not right for you, but then I love you, come back... Oh no, I’m going to leave you again, you just can’t handle me. And having that stupid crush on Andie also didn’t ease up things.

I let out a heavy sigh as the door behind me slammed shut. The spacious hallway was filled with blinding darkness. I knew my parents weren’t home, they had gone on their yearly honeymoon to ‘strengthen’ their bond. So I was left with me, myself and I. Time for a party! Yeah, if only the exhaustion wouldn’t be tearing me apart, I would’ve even considered the thought.

My bag slid from my shoulder and landed on the white tiled floor as I locked the door behind me. My eyelids felt almost too heavy to bear and I could hardly raise my feet from the ground to even go to the living space and fall on the black couch. How can you possibly forget it’s your goddamn shift? Do I look like a robot? I can’t handle such load after working five days in a row. Although I had snapped at one moment, starting to yell at Andrew, forcing him stop his work and look at me wide eyed. What? Everyone had their limits, and I was two days over mine.

My partly tattooed forearm rested on my forehead as I slid in to the tempting whispers of sleep. This was not for me. My monthly salary was equal to what my folks earned daily. Why oh why did I drop out of school... Maybe the education would’ve made a exemplary citizen out of me. My minds started to get dashed and I knew I was slipping away. To the sweet, sweet universe of dreams.

„Oww... Fucking son of a bitch...” My eyes instantly shot open hearing a low timbre coming from somewhere around the staircase. Suddenly all the exhaustion disappeared, cause shock and fear took over, pumping some adrenaline inside me. Who was there? There wasn’t supposed to be anyone in here except me. I was paralyzed, I couldn’t move. „Where’s the stupid light switch?” The male kept talking, although it received no answers. Made me think he was alone and I didn’t know if it was for best or for worst.

Somehow I got myself together to boost myself on my elbows and look back at the stairs, just to see a dark silhouette, before the light went on and blinded me completely. „Oh shit...” The man exclaimed, while I was trying to get used to the light. Some dark hair and blurry face started to come to my vision. He was standing a couple feet away so if he was a murderer he would have already murdered me by now, right? „Roy told no one’s gonna be here...” Once my vision had returned I noticed his brown, warm irises, his thin lips and tattoos. So he was one of Roy’s stray puppies. Yeah, should’ve guessed. And then I noticed something my vision wasn’t particularly necessary for- the guy was drunk.

„Yeah, well my condo’s being used by someone else.” I didn’t even know why was I explaining myself to the guy. He was a stranger and it was none of his business that Jenna and Will decided to use my flat for their naughty desires, cause their had been flooded. I really didn’t understand them. They were fighting every other day, but somehow they always wound up in the same bed. „Who are you?”

„You don’t know me?” He looked more hurt than surprised.

„Should I?” His eyes scanned my arms. Like he had never seen half finished sleeves before.

„You seem like a chick who would.” He shrugged and started towards the kitchen. Excuse me? A chick? Did I hatch from an egg or something? I heard the refrigerator door open and close soon after. And now he’s using my food. Nice.

„You didn’t tell me your name.” I threw my bare arm over the couch back as I fixed my eyes on the door isle, waiting for him to come back with some darn good explanations. He appeared in the isle with budweiser in his hand. Since when people in this house drank beer?

„If you don’t already know, then it’s better off not knowing. I appreciate the privacy.” He smiled and sat down at the other end of the couch, right beside my converse covered feet. I hadn’t even been able to take off my shoes. No, I’m categorically against this kind of shifts. I refuse to take them, I- „So you’re Roy’s sis?”

„Great, you know who I am and I don’t even know your name. Shouldn’t you introduce yourself in offer to stay here?” I fixed the cushion behind my back, getting really pissed because of the tiredness.

„Nah.” He smirked. And he was also impolite. Figures. „Besides I don’t know your name, I just know who you are, little pixie.”

„My name’s-„

„Save it,” He raised his hand in the air, stopping me, „I won’t remember it either way.”

„Cause you’re drunk.”

„Nope. Cause every chick wants me to remember her. I kinda zoom out when it comes to names.” Every girl wanted for him to remember her? The guy who wore eyeliner and overdosed with hairspray and had ‘Marlboro’ tattooed over his knuckles. Yeah, quite the catch I may add. „Besides, I’ll be gone tomorrow and you won’t see me ever again.”

„How can you be so sure?” I squinted my eyes in the same moment crossing my arms over my deep v-neck cut, getting quite pissed by his arrogance and know-it-all atitude.

„I just am.” His browns landed on my chest.

„Hey, I’m up here...” I pointed to my face, making his grin grow even wider.

„I know.” He took a mouthful of that sapless beer, „But you’re also down there. Hey, don’t blame me. It was your choice to show off your cleavage by wearing that shirt.”

„You can at least try not to stare.”

„What’s the point? If I like something, I make it known. And I happen to like your breast.” I looked down on my cleavage. How could anyone like them? They were so small. If it wasn’t for the push-up bra, I would’ve been as flat as a plank.

„Is that one of your cheesy pick-up lines?”

„No. I don’t use them. Never have to pick up chicks.” It didn’t seem like he was lying, but I had a hard time believing him. Even Andrew had to ‘pick up’ the ones that hadn’t already picked him up.

„Are you gay?” He burst out in laughter.

„I just told you I liked your boobs and that makes me gay. What is it with you Miami people?”

„So I guess you’re not from here.”

„Nope.” Once again he took a sip, never moving his eyes away from me and the whole time smirking slightly. „The good old California. Have you ever been there?”

„No. I’m afraid all the guys are as cocky as you, and I don’t prefer cockiness.” His smirk grew wider on something I said. What? Why was he smirking?

„So you don’t like cock... iness...”

„No. I just told you.” I was starting to really loose my patience with him. Usually I wasn’t this grumpy, but the long shift made it’s affect on me. He didn’t say anything anymore, just kept staring at me with a wide grin, making me feel a bit uneasy. „Is this where you tell me you actually don’t know Roy and are here to kill me in order to rob the place?”

„If I didn’t know Roy, how could I get in here?”

„Break in, we’re in Miami for god’s sake.”

„Okay. One point to the pixie.” He moved a bit closer and I really got the idea of him hurting me. „But how could I know you’re his sister?”

„Lucky guess, I’d say.” He kept moving closer and I started to get wary. The guy was bigger than me and I couldn’t do anything against him if he decided to really hurt me. I pulled my knees to my chest, avoiding to touch him.

„If I’d be a robber, would I do this?” The bottle touched his lips for the last time before he put it down on the ground and stood up. Okay, I’ve watched enough of the action movies, I should know what to do to survive, right? His fingers wrapped around my arms and he pulled me up, making me hit against his hard chest. My eyes shot up to his face, when I had regained from the shock of the movement. His eyes seemed dark, lustful. And he was not letting me go. But to think about it, did I want for him to let go? I got on my tiptoes and pressed my lips against his.

„I do.” Jenna’s voice brought me back from the memories. I shook my head, feeling Brian’s thumb making circles on my palm. We weren’t playing the roles of best man and maid of honor, not quite, Jenna wanted to go against American tradition, making only her and Matt be in the center off attention. Although I couldn’t tell we weren’t at the center, not quite of the attention, but we’re the one’s who were sitting almost in front. Second row to be precise. People who knew who Brian was shot us glances from time to time. Surprised, lustful, angry, the choice is yours. I supposed to meet a lot of his ex’s after the ceremony.

„What’s wrong?” He leaned over to whisper in my ear. And to think about it, he said I’ll never ever, ever see him again. Right. Nevertheless, the thought of his previous girlfriends didn’t please me one bit. I didn’t turn to look at him, instead I was watching Jenna’s wedding dress. Which was partly black. And Matt’s wide smile. And his black eye. He looked too happy, while Jenna still looked drunk. I couldn’t quite get my finger on how did she get here so fast, and looking surprisingly human.

„I just can’t believe J’s getting married. She of all people.” I wasn’t entirely lying. I mean, who would’ve guessed the one person, who told she’s never going to get married nor have children, was the first of us to do so. It was just left to wait for the kids.

„Why? You wanted to be first?” Even tho we were in a church, and everyone could see us as well as they saw the newly weds, Brian brushed his lips against my jaw line.

„I supposed I was going to be first.” The priest just pronounced Matt and Jenna as man and wife, saying they could do the big kiss. I elbowed Brian, making him lean back with a shit eating grin on his face. Matt and Jenna connected in such a passionate kiss, it made me feel uncomfortable just by watching it. I didn’t even want to imagine how they’ll spend their wedding night. It seemed like they could rip their clothes off right here and now. Finally they tore apart.

„I present to you mr. and mrs. Sanders.” Matt took Jenna by arm and led out of the chapel, making us all, the beloved guests, stand up and applaud for the couple. To be completely honest, I hadn’t seen Jenna as happy in my entire life.

The guests made a complete chaos, emerging from their seats and squeezing through the entrance as soon as J and Matt were out of the building, forcing me and Brian to hold back in the very end of the line. Thank god he never let go of my arm, otherwise I most possibly would’ve been dragged along those savages.

„Brian?” I noticed a fair haired girl make a double check on us, before she turned around completely. She was going with some older lady in front of us, when she noticed someone who she seemingly knew all too well. Brian’s body tensed. I noticed the girl to be wearing a bright pink dress, looking just the opposite of me. My red bangs against her strawberry blond, my black lace dress, which was barely covering my ass, against her pink silk knee length one, and my frown against her wide smile.

„Lexy?” To be completely frank, this was the first time I saw Brian being like this. It seemed like he didn’t believe his eyes. And then he dropped my arm.

„Hello Ally,” She said in her professional tone. I wondered if it’s drilled in every hairdressers head to be politely stealing boyfriends away, or was it just her? Cause right now, Brian didn’t even notice me by his side. How can you not? We were the only people left in the church!

„What are you doing here, Lex?”

„Matt. He invited me.” Oh wait, was this the girl who I had invited to Black Swan’s opening, the one who was Brian’s ex and a no show? At first sight I acknowledged her only as the girl, who cut off my beautiful long bangs. They were exchanging these smiles, making me feel as the third wheel over here. „How have you been?”

„Okay, I think I’m going to leave you both alone.”

„What?” Brian jerked his head, looking like this was the first time he ever saw me.

„It’s obvious you have something to discuss, besides I didn’t congratulate J. See you later.” The smile Lexy gave me seemed very similar to the way my mother smiled. One of those politely cold smiles. I walked away not even looking back, once I figured who the girl was. I had finally put the two and two together, to realize this was the girl from the photo. How I figured? Looking her in the face was like looking at the opposite version of myself.

Why did I leave? It was the way I was. I always left if I felt things are better off without me. I was not the person to fight for someone who clearly wouldn't redo the favor, although my appearance stated otherwise. It screamed I was a fighter from the beginning till the end, when the truth was a tad different. I was tired of always putting on a fight, it was easier to just walk away.

If Brian returns- he's a keeper, if not- I'm going to need a psychotherapist.